The Must Have Small Business Tools of 2016

There are a lot of efficient and easy to use apps today that have seen many businesses save both time and money with their business activities. In addition to these apps, there are other technological considerations small business should think of implementing in order to really move their businesses to the next level.

Here are a few of those technologies:

Document signing online

Gone are the days where one has to print, sign and send documents by fax or post. These days, there are technologies that allow the signing and sending of documents on the go with just an internet connection. Available options include Adobe,HelloSign, andDocuSign.

Cloud storage

With cloud-based storage, businesses can keep their files, documents, and photos on online servers instead of on local devices. This is a good option for small businesses, as this will allow them to be able to access their documents and files from whatever the location, plus they are easy to use.

Some of the well-known cloud storage applications are GoogleDrive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, Amazon Cloud Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Box.com. The provider you decide to choose as a business will depend on your requirements such as security level, amount of storage space needed, and other relevant features.

Password management

If you’ve been using obvious passwords that are easy to remember such as ‘123456’, then you’re laying yourself wide open for cyber security attacks. If you have a hard time remembering your passwords in the past, then you should start making use of password management apps like LastPass to help you store and remember your passwords. With LastPass, you can save password for almost everything from bank accounts, online stores, social media, email accounts, etc. LastPass automatically signs you in when you visit your nominated sites, plus it can be synced across all your devices. The only thing you need to remember with LastPass is your master password and you’re good to go. Other well-known password app are IPassword and DashLane.

Encryption tools

One great way of overcoming concerns about hosting sensitive information on the cloud is by making use of encryption software. This will make your information inaccessible to hackers. Even though most cloud services seem to be secure, it’s recommended you always check the details with your provider.

However, if you feel you still need an additional layer of protection, then apps like Boxcryptor and Cloudfogger may just be the solution to your needs. Both of these tools are very easy to use and are compatible with most cloud storage services. With the tools, you can encrypt files and documents locally with the aid of a 256bit AES Advanced Encryption Standard encryption before sending them to cloud.

These are just a few technological considerations for small businesses that wants to keep growing. There are others, but you can start with these ones first. We are in the technology era, so you need to take advantage of everything that comes with it.

If you’re looking to get your business set-up with some of the small business tech basics and want a quick and simple loan solution to get you started, talk to Unsecured Finance Australia about how we can help you meet your business finance needs.